Fishkill native Malinak takes passion to open waters near and far

Dec. 10, 2013

Written by

Ben Hoynes

For the Poughkeepsie Journal

Pick two points on a map. If a body of water lies between those two locations, Andrew Malinak has probably considered swimming the distance.

The 26-year-old Fishkill native has had a love for water since he was a youngster, beginning at the Poughkeepsie YMCA and continuing through his six-year career as a varsity swimmer at John Jay High School.

Most recently, Malinak has taken to open water swimming and has participated in a number of long-distance open water swim events around the world, including one that he designed himself this past July in his new home in the Pacific Northwest.

On the morning of July 28, Malinak left the southern shore of Vancouver Island, Canada, in an attempt to swim across the 12-mile body of water known as the Strait of San Juan de Fuca to the state of Washington, something only seven swimmers have successfully done.

He came up about one mile short of his desired landing spot in Crescent Bay, Wash., but the swim was still a huge success for Malinak. He lasted six hours and 10 minutes in open seawater and swam nearly 11 miles.

"It wasn't just about finishing the 12-mile swim. It was about swimming in that particular body of water at that particular time," Malinak said.

Malinak was the lone swimmer, accompanied by a skilled kayaker from the Seattle area who paddled alongside him as well as a small boat occupied by a local captain and two of Malinak's close friends, Caitlin Rosen and Meghan Petak.

A delayed start due to excessive fog combined with slightly colder waters than anticipated made the swim particularly challenging for the daring swimmer. Unexpected currents near the U.S. side eventually slowed Malinak and he was forced to climb aboard the kayak following him nearby.

"It was not easy," Malinak said of his decision to pull up short. "I had been shivering for over four hours and I could tell the cold was having an effect on me. My hearing started to go and my eyes were feeling funny. I didn't want to jeopardize any future attempts."

Malinak's father, Roy, who is still a resident of Fishkill, was certainly not let down by the unfinished swim.

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"I'm very proud of him," Roy Malinak said. "He's an inspiration. He is somebody who has a goal and does everything he can to achieve it."

Malinak's former high school swim coach, Mark Piggott, described him as "one of the more quiet and reserved athletes" he has coached. "However, he was very competitive. He didn't need to be pumped up," Piggott said.

"Open water swimming takes a lot of stamina and endurance, and a little guts too," he added.

The Strait of San Juan de Fuca was one of several open water swims that Malinak has attempted in the last three years. In fact, it was not the first time he had crossed an international border as a swimmer.

In May of 2010, Malinak completed a 10-mile swim across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain to Morocco, an event that lasted four hours and 12 minutes.

Then, in June of 2012 he completed the prestigious Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, a 28.5-mile trek around the New York City borough, which took him eight hours and eight minutes.

Malinak had the idea to plan a swim across the Strait of San Juan de Fuca in December of 2012 after moving from New York to Seattle for work reasons. By January, he had his mind set on making it happen.

"My philosophy of choosing a location to swim was that it had to have a personal aspect to it," Malinak said. "I looked at a map to see where I could swim, found this iconic body of water, and fell in love with the idea."

Beyond the physical training required for the swim, which he did mostly in Seattle-area seawater, the swim took Malinak an entire eight months to plan, as he needed the assistance and approval of the U.S. and Canadian customs offices and Coast Guard.

On the morning of the swim, the Vessel Traffic Service even redirected boats in the shipping lanes to avoid Malinak's course across the Strait.

Up next for Malinak are a few shorter-distance open water swims, including one in Tacoma, Wash. But the real prize will come next summer when Malinak plans to attempt to cross the Strait of San Juan de Fuca again.

Andrew Malinak

Age: 26

Hometown: Fishkill

Residence: Seattle, Wash.

Family: Parents, Roy Malinak and Carla "Star" Robinson

» 6-year varsity letter winner for Wappingers swim team

» Completed 10-mile swim across Strait of Gibraltar, May 6, 2010

» Completed 28.5-mile swim around Manhattan Island, June 23, 2012

» Attempted 12-mile swim across Strait of San Juan de Fuca, July 28, 2013